Author Archive
16 Sep 2015
Documentation: The Backbone of Genealogical Research
By Melissa Johnson On 16 September 2015 In Uncategorized
Many beginner genealogists get caught up in chasing their ancestors back in time, and fail to record where they found the information they discovered. Eventually, they realize they should have been doing this all along—perhaps after sifting
16 Sep 2015
Don’t Miss the NGSQ Editors’ Corner
By Melissa Johnson On 16 September 2015 In Uncategorized
Some readers of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ) may be so focused on getting into the newest case studies that they skip over an important piece of NGSQ—the Editors’ Corner. Written each issue by NGSQ co-editors
13 Jul 2015
Civil War Pension Files: Understanding Pension Laws
By Melissa Johnson On 13 July 2015 In Uncategorized
From the beginning of the Civil War through the twentieth century, Congress passed many laws that impacted pensions for Civil War Union veterans and their dependents. (For more information about pension files and how to access them,
13 Jul 2015
Techniques for Researching Common-Name Ancestors
By Melissa Johnson On 13 July 2015 In Uncategorized
We often struggle with solving problems and making connections as we research our ancestors with common surnames—for example, the Johnsons, Smiths, and Joneses in our family trees. Our struggles multiply when these men and women also have
11 Jun 2015
DNA As a Genealogical Source
By Melissa Johnson On 11 June 2015 In Uncategorized
Over the past five years, an increasing number of National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ) articles have incorporated a new genealogical source: DNA test results. While not necessary to solve every genealogical problem, there are instances when DNA test results supply
11 Jun 2015
Civil War Union Pension Files: Contents and Access
By Melissa Johnson On 11 June 2015 In Uncategorized
Many veterans who served for the Union during the Civil War received federal pensions.[1] These pensions provided support to those who qualified based on disability, service, and old age. In many cases, upon the death of a
28 May 2015
What Do Genealogists Gain From Reading NGSQ?
By Melissa Johnson On 28 May 2015 In Uncategorized
We read National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ) case studies, even though these articles cover families, places, and ethnicities not found in our own ancestral lines. Why spend time reading about someone else’s ancestors when we have so
27 May 2015
The Big Picture and the Small Details
By Melissa Johnson On 27 May 2015 In Uncategorized
As genealogists, we are encouraged to uncover the small details about our ancestors’ lives, as well as look at the bigger picture to learn more about who they were associated with throughout their lifetimes. Why do we
13 Apr 2015
Finding and Using Alien Records
By Melissa Johnson On 13 April 2015 In Uncategorized
Researching immigrant ancestors can be challenging. Family historians often search for naturalization records to learn more about immigrants, but what if they were never naturalized? Alien records, including Alien Registration Forms (AR-2s) and Alien Files (A-Files), can
13 Apr 2015
The Importance of Genealogical Analysis and Correlation
By Melissa Johnson On 13 April 2015 In Uncategorized
As genealogists, we connect various pieces of information to draw conclusions—but it isn’t just the information that makes our case. Analysis and correlation are essential parts of the process. Genealogical analysis is when we examine our sources